Romantic heroes

[girlyswot]

The Romance Writers Association have provided the following list of the top ten best romantic leads...

(HT: Smart Bitches Trashy Books)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Would anyone like to have a serious discussion about the characteristics required for a romantic male lead? No? Just the drooling then.

Comments

[dogstar101.livejournal.com]

I' struggling to think of a film in which Johnny Depp has actually played a romantic male lead. There was Don Juan de Maco, but there he was kind of sending up the whole deal. He is incredibly beautiful though. My top three...
Clooney *drool*
Firth (sometimes)
Rickman (a few years ago but I'm also struggling to think of films in which he was the romantic lead - I'm sure others can set me straight) Have I mentioned he was sitting two seats in front of me at Spamalot a couple of weeks ago?

Glaring omissions (IMO): Robert Downey Junior *swoon* and James McAvoy. And I have to admit it, I have always had a soft spot for Keanu Reeves. He's hot.

I'm sure I'll think of half a dozen more as soon as I hit 'post comment.'

Thanks for the eye candy! It took my mind of boring filing for a few minutes.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Chocolat.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

And Rickman - Truly Madly Deeply. Though, yukky film.

I agree completely about James McAvoy. I used to be a big fan of Robert Downey Jr, too.

[dogstar101.livejournal.com]

Truly Madly Deeply is the one that I really like him in. But I wouldn't really call it a romantic leading role - he plays such a git in it. But that's just me. I think he's fanciable in Sense and Sensibility.

I keep seeing James McAvoy - he lives near me. He *hates* being recognised. One time, I was waiting at the bus stop and he crossed the road to join the queue. I SWEAR I only looked at him for millisecond and as soon as I realised it was him I looked away but he still ran back across the road. I could bore you with my two other "James McAvoy thinks I stalk him" stories, but I think I'll leave it there.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I'm madly jealous about the McAvoy sightings. I'd definitely be properly stalking him. *grins*

Rickman's not really my type. I like him best in things like Robin Hood and HP when he's playing teh evil villain (or not!). But he's certainly more fanciable than Hugh Grant in S&S.

[dogstar101.livejournal.com]

Aw! I quite like Hugh in it too, though he's not really my type usually ... perhaps it's because I like the character. But they did cast Willoughby well, that's for sure. Well done, Emma, that's all I have to say on Greg Wise apart from 'mmm' ;)

Yes, Alan Rickman isn't my type either. Incredible voice though.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Mmmm. *drools at the thought of Alan Rickman's voice*

Oh and Greg Wise, very good.

Also, I feel someone should mention Ioan Gruffudd before things go any further.

(http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/touchstone_pictures/king_arthur/ioan_gruffudd/kingpres3.jpg)

[dogstar101.livejournal.com]

I've never seen him in anything madly swoonworthy. In fact, I can't remember seeing him in *anything* except maybe on TV years and years ago before he was so famous. I really should get around to watching Hornblower some day.

Just looked him up on IMDB - it wasn't TV, it was Wilde. Wow - looking at the cast list, I'd like to see it again!

HOW could I have forgotten to mention John Cusack?

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

I almost mentioned him -- I actually rented the Sharpe series because Netflix recommended it based on my love of the Hornblower series. Ioan was runner-up for Richard -- but ultimately I think he looks more like my 'brother' Michael DuSult (it's the curly hair).

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thanks for the link. I *heart* the Smart Bitches. I'm glad, but a bit surprised, to see Richard Armitage is up there in the top 4 - is Robin Hood really popular in the States or something?

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Oh, interesting. I was wondering how he'd got on, too. I could only think of N&S, which though lovely, was quite a while ago. But maybe Robin Hood is the answer. He is gorgeous, though, and utterly deserving of being on the list.

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Yes, he has the most beautiful eyes.

I sometimes consider watching Robin Hood just because he's in it, but unfortunately I can't watch anything with Keith Allen in because he reminds me of a horrid person I used to work for. :( Hopefully it'll be a springboard to bigger and better things for Richard Armitage.

[kinderjedi.livejournal.com]

Mmmm. Thanks for the illustrations! Of this list, I think my top three are Daniel Craig, Sean Bean and Hugh Jackman.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Good choices!

What an oversight!

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

You know what I must be thinking. Who are these people and how can they keep Gerard Butler off the list? Although part of me is glad, because then there's more of him for me!

How do you paste pics? I'd like to add his visage to the drool list.

Re: What an oversight!

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I knew exactly what you'd be thinking!

Go on then, drool:

(http://laroepadron.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/263982gerard-butler-posters.jpg)

Re: What an oversight!

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

*wipes drool off computer*

Thank you! :D

*loves girlyswot*

Re: What an oversight!

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Excellent. I hope that means I'm forgiven for getting Albus to cure you of your unhealthy scar obsession?

Re: What an oversight!

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Of course! But we all know his "cure" is only temporary. Just like Will's dizzy/manly spells.

;)

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

It's nice to know we can depend on Ros to get a really serious discussion going! Who's number 5?

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Hugh Jackman.

*swoons*

I once saw him as Curly in Oklahoma at the National Theatre and instantly recognised his droolworthiness talent. He's been in a number of films more recently. I believe he's actually Australian.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

Yes he is Australian. I should have recognised him but didn't. He is very popular here as being one of our genuine stars and quite an affable sort of bloke. A great many of my friends (RL Aussie ones) went to see him last year in The Boy from Oz for the sole purpose of drooling. Plus there were rumours that he came down into the audience and sat on a woman's lap each show so that seat choice became very important.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Oooh - now that sounds like my kind of show!

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

No one got lucky but they all enjoyed the show. Funnily enough, Jackman was playing the title role and the show is about the Aussie gay song writer Peter Allen. Apparently playing a gay man didn't damage Jackman's appeal one little bit!

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I don't know whether it's so much the movie culture per se as the 'Romance Writers of America' movie culture, since they were the ones voting. I'd have thought that in a more general survey, perhaps Samuel L. Jackson, or even Will Smith, would have made it into the top ten.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

The thing I love about Will Smith is that when he was up for an Oscar for playing Muhammed Ali, he still jetted from the awards show to take care of his sick child. Just his wife could have gone, or they could have trusted what I'm sure was a very well paid and qualified nanny -- but family first with him and that is...sexy.

[alkari.livejournal.com]

*drools happily over Hugh Jackman, Sean Connery and Harrison Ford* And the younger Peter O'Toole was certainly dreamworthy.

But - to add a more serious note to the discussion! - it says something about our entire movie culture that these 'romantic heroes' are all white males. Where are the heroes from other ethnic groups? For example, I've always adored Morgan Freeman, who has a voice that is just as sexy as Alan Rickman, but I don't know thathe's ever appeared in a role that amounts to "romantic hero". Years ago, of course, there was Sidney Poitier, though I find Freeman far more attractive.

[alkari.livejournal.com]

Well, it's shame he hasn't really been a 'romantic lead', but David Wenham sure rates on my list *drool*

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Yes, if I had to choose between Boromir and Faramir from the LOTR, I would have gone with Faramir in both book and film. It made me go out and rent The Bank and Better than Sex.

ps

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

... you're sure this wasn't the post you meant to title 'Things To Do Before You're 40'? ;)

Re: ps

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

LOL! I'll try...

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

I'm not very familiar with Richard Armitage or David Tennant, but the only person I have a real objection to is number one. I just don't get Johnny Depp.

The characters I tend to fall for in books and films are usually more about the wit than the looks. But it has to be actual wit and I have to understand it. Looks don't hurt, though.

Nice old ER pic of George Clooney. I was just saying today how I wish Sisters the NBC show he was on prior to ER) was on DVD. I loved him in that.

Hmm... the ones on this list who would be on my list (if not my top ten) are: Hugh Jackman (obviously, he's my Richard), Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig, and probably George Clooney. Sean Bean and Colin Firth are possibilities (I like the way the latter kissed both Brigit Jones and the Mom in what a girl wants, and the former is so often a villain that I didn't really catch on to his appeal until watching the entire Sharpe series while the Admiral was at sea).

There are probably others that I would rather see up there -- but as I established by my anti-Johnny Depp-ness, I'm not exactly mainstream in my tastes.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Chocolat? That was the first film that I really got Johnny Depp in. He often plays weird or creepy - and does it very well. But in Chocolat he plays sexy and knee-meltingly, heart-stoppingly sexy, at that.

I adored Sean Bean in Sharpe, too.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

I loved Chocolat. Vianne is one of my models for Gabriella Du Sult. I still didn't want him in that. He just makes me shrug.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I repeat: Chocolat.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Oh -- and I almost forgot Ewan McGregor. I loved his Rock Hudson impression in Down With Love

Are gay actors fair game for this? Because I also adore Rupert Everet in his Wilde films (The Importance of being Earnest and An Ideal Husband).

Somebody else mentioned Keanu Reeves, so I'm guessing the gay thing is not an issue.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

*blinks* Keanu Reeves is gay? How did I miss that?

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Well -- perhaps he isn't. My sister-in-law told me he was married to Alan Cumming -- but I just checked it out and it was a hoax. On the other hand, he doesn't say he isn't gay when confronted. He has a good reason, he says to deny it would be to judge that it's wrong. If he truly thought that and was gay, I think he would probably go ahead and admit it.

Who knows, though (and who cares, btw -- I was just using him as an excuse to put Rupert Everett up).

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I just looked it up too and now I'm wondering about dogstar101's choice of username.

[alkari.livejournal.com]

Hmmm - maybe Johnny Depp went onto that list only because of the Pirates series. I mean, without his OTT flamboyance in those, would he have been rated as a Romantic Hero? I think he is a good actor - must go see Sweeny Todd - but he wouldn't necessarily have been on my list as a Hero figure.

Of course, Christian Bale is also rather easy on the eyes, and Batman is definitely a "Hero"!

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

I can't get passed Christian Bale being the boy in "Empire of the Sun" so I couldn't find him drool-worthy as a leading man.

[gabrielladusult.livejournal.com]

Me too! I saw him on TV in Reign of Fire and I was like, "Why is that attractive young actor so familiar. So I looked it up on IMDB and immediately thought, "Now I'm officially OLD!" I'm not, of course -- but it still was a shock.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

You're younger than me so of course you're not old!

[alkari.livejournal.com]

Well, little boys DO grow up - and if they end up like this one ...*sigh* I don't care if I am old - I can still lust and drool!

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

Christian Bale has THE most sexy voice in Hollywood. Anyone ever rent Howl's Moving Castle? He voices the main male character and makes me sigh every time I hear him speak.